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Chamber of Eternities; TMS, TV, Part VI
Topic Started: 20th May 2007 - 01:06 AM (325 Views)
Morkskittar
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The Tunnel's Resident Rodent Ecologist

Chamber of Eternities
The Morkreekian Saga
The Voyage
Part VI

The two groups stared at eachother incredulously. Pawblight's stare quickly transformed into a glare, and then his face twisted in rage. "Half-life cowards! Where on the Horned rat's Earth have you been hiding? You liley-livered bas-"

Keevik interrupted his master's angry rant with three words. "We were not hiding."

Pawblight shut his mouth, but almost instantly, it started up again. "Not hiding? You filthy, foul, slimy-" Kraskritch reached forward and tapped the Slavelord on the shoulder with the bronze rod clasped in his hand. Pawblight spasmed, and his mouth closed.

"Like my shock-stick, do you? My apologies, Slavelord, but we were not hiding. If anything, it was-was you who were hiding. We have-have been out in the open, building this sphere."

At these words, everyrat turned and inspected the sphere. It was made completely of a brass-like material: rivets were placed on it at random intervals, inscribed with symbols of power. At the top was a lever topped with a Warpstone handle. The entire thing rested on a brass tripod.

"Impressive, Skryre-rats, but where did this metal come from?" Pawblight asked sarcastically, still not believeing the Warlock Engineers. Then a suspicious glint entered his eye. "And how did you make this device so quickly? It is not possible."

Keevik smiled wickedly; unnerving on such a runty rat. "We have our ways, Slavelord. Secrets of the trade-trade, as it were." Kraskritch's face remained neutral.

The SLavelord snorted in derision. "Secrets of the trade? Pah! Neither of you have had any contact with Clan Skryre for years! You are both hopelessly out of date... nothing they have today could enable them to build anything this quickly."

Keevik's smile vanished, and Kraskritch spoke. "It would be wise not to push this matter any further, Slavelord. We will not yield-yield."

Pawblight continued to glare at the Engineer. "Very well... but I fail to see the use of this... 'sphere.'" The rats behind the Slavelord mumbled agreement.

Kraskritch answered again, pride creeping into his voice. "It will transport us to the Chamber of Eternities, where we can face the Daemon."

Everyrat but the Engineers froze in horror. Pawblight stammered out "Face the-the Daemon? You are m-m-ma-ad-rat-t-s!" Gaining confidence in his returning fury, the Slavelord continued, "If you can make something to transport us elsewhere, why not off this Island! Why do we have to face the Daemon?"

"There is no way off of this Island unless the Daemon is defeated, Slavelord," responded Keevik

Pawblight laughed harshly. "Then how did we escape last time? It let us?"

The Warlock Engineers only stared in response. Pawblight was deflating again; there was no point in arguing. "Alright. Let's say I buy this. Is it ready yet?"

Keevik smiled. "We had just finished when somerats made some noise in the jungle and disturbed our rest." The Slavelord let this pass; no point in sowing discord. " Unfortunately, this was made for two. It can fit five, very uncomfortably. Of course, the journey won't last long."

Pawblight refrained from swearing. So much for avoiding discord... he turned around and faced the rats in front of him. There were six left. Keevik and Kraskritch would certainly insist on going, and there was no way that Pawblight was staying behind to get killed by another tree. The tiny Verminmaster caught his eye; Skrit-Quoll wasn't even half the height of an average Skaven. he turned back to the Warlocks. "And Skrit-Quoll?"

Kraskritch thought a moment. "If Skrit-Quoll is one, then six, Slavelord." pawblight nodded and turned back to the group. Whoever he didn't choose would surely become violent.

He immediately discounted Artik: the Admirat had shown too much ambition to live. But Chittersnatch had to come... he had shown himself to be competent and loyal. "Chittersnatch will come." The 'Master of Politics' grinned and scurried to his master's side. "And also..."

The Slavelord paused, and the tension in the air became palpable. Quite literally. Ropes appeared around the necks of those nott chosen, extending up into the sky. Everyrat looked at them, stunned. One of the noosed rats paniacked, and tried to escape. The rope yanked him up suddenly, pulling him towards the sky as if on a pulley. He quickly vanished from sight.

Taking this strange event in stride, Pawblight thought, well, that's one less rat for me to choose from. He didn't know the rat; he didn't matter. He inspected the rats one last time, and then he knew the answer.

"Bellower."

The rope around the slave's neck vanished, and he stumbled forward, going on past the Slavelord, who had dropped into a fighting crouch. Two of the three remaining roped rats were pulled into the sky, following their companion. Artik's rope vanished.

The Admiral snarled and lunged at Pawblight, who quickly sidestepped, forcing Chittersnatch to dive at the feet of the highly-amused Engineers. Pawblight slashed out with his massive, extended metal claws, missing Artik by a hair's breadth. Realizing that he had only to kill one rat to gain passage, Artik chose an easier target: Chittersnatch.

Unfortunately for Artik, Pawblight was not keen on losing his Master of Politics. he leapt forward, leanding on Artik's back and driving his right claws deep into the Admiral's back. Artik collapsed, limp and lifeless. The Slaevlord withdrew his claws, and grinned wolfishly. "Now, we carry on." Casting one last glance up at the sky, the Slavelord stepped through the door on the sphere that one of the Engineer's had opened. The other Skaven followed suit.

It really was a tight fit. Bellower was forced to lay down on the ground, beneath the feet of Kraskritch, Keevik, Chittersnatch, and Pawblight. Skrit Quoll was held by them near the top. They were packed so close together that Kraskritch and Keevik almost couldn't shut the door behind themselves. Somehow, the managed to contort enough to activate the controls. Kraskritch allowed a smile to light up his face. "Ready?" he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he pulled a lever and the orb vanished around them. They all fell to the hard, stone ground.

Stone? Pawblight stood up, everyrat else following suit. He inspected hsi surroundings.

They appeared to be on a plain of featureless stone as far as the eye could see. "So... is this the Chamber of Eternities, Keevik-rat?"

The Engineer smiled grimly. "That it is. Tread lightly. Daasnacht is watching."

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